Bird
by The Deceiving Maiden
Summary: Sigmund Memory 60 Min Challenge, Day 5: Bird. Colin never said a proper goodbye to the bird who taught him to fly.


**Deceiver: Hope I'm not too late! DX**

~.~.~.~.~

 **Bird**

~.~.~.~.~

 _Hey…  
I still…haven't said goodbye yet._

 _You already have, Colin…  
…A long, long time ago…_

~.~.~.~.~

With that last thought of his best friend in mind, she was gone. A breeze blew by as Colin opened his eyes to the world before him. His surroundings were still the same, just like from his childhood. The grass rustled within the wind as the pond in front of him formed a few ripples as well. The leaves were swaying within their branches too, and it just made everything here seemed so peaceful.

Still, there was an ache in his heart. As there were things here were not the same as he envisioned anymore. The tree that loomed over him had so many leaves, but now they were completely bare, leaving only the trunk and empty branches behind. Colin swore the tree would the tree was always beautiful with its leaves, but with nothing left on its twigs, it just served to remind him what world he was living in.

And the other thing that was different, the most obvious one, was that Faye was gone. It was like the breeze blew her presence away, against his will. He knew he had to let her go someday, and despite her insistence, he was still not ready.

Like with the bird he found in childhood, he had to say goodbye once she was ready to fly again. And with Faye…

…he still felt like he never said a proper goodbye to the friend who taught him to fly in the first place.

~.~.~.~.~

But even without her here, he still felt like he could do anything. He obtained his dream to fly, and he had a loving wife and son as part of his own family. There were some bumps here and there as he moved on without Faye, but it still felt right at the same time.

Sometimes, Colin wondered if Faye was proud of him on how far he went since her departure. He remembered they could meet again to tell her all the great things that happened since then. And he could just summon her again if he wished.

But Colin knew he couldn't. He shouldn't. As it could disappoint Faye when his life didn't need her interference anymore. Yes, they could talk, but he couldn't bring himself to do it. All he could do was write in his old book on the things he did, the happy moments in his life, and the mishaps that happened along the way. He could also just stare at the balcony opposite to the one he was standing on as well, like he did in the past whenever he felt lonely for a friend to talk to…

"Looking for something, old-timer?"

And she came back. Colin didn't expect this, yet here she was, smiling like she always did while talking him to him from across the balcony. She looked the same as ever (and of course she rolled her eyes when he mentioned it). He didn't know why she was here, but when everything around him started to break, he got the idea on why she appeared out of nowhere.

There were so many things he wanted to say to her, and even she wished they could talk during a better circumstance instead of _this_. When Colin mentioned he still wanted more time to talk to her, she nodded in understanding.

"It's okay…I was there," she smiled sadly, her hands neatly folded on the railing. "I'm only here to say good bye."

At that, Colin sighed. Of course. She would go as quickly as she appeared. And if she claimed she was around to see all he did, it still felt unfair.

"Just tell me one thing though…" she went on, still smiling at him softly as Colin turned back to her with a questioning look. "Do you still have any regrets?"

He thought about that for a moment, recalling all the bad memories he had, before Faye came into his life, and after. Too many to count even.

Yet…

"Yeah, I have a lot of those," he gave a slow node. Faye frowned at him, but he went on. "But…that's okay. The chances I missed, the mishaps, and all that I wish I had…Well, they were all still a part of it…They made way for all that I do have.

"And what I do have…I wouldn't trade for anything else in the world."

Faye stared at him with wide eyes, her mouth slightly a gape before she gave him the warmest smile Colin had ever seen from her. "That's all I wished to hear."

The world around them was breaking again, and already, Colin and Faye knew their time together was coming to an end again. For good. When Colin turned back to her, she gave him a nod. "Go on…they're waiting for you." She smiled again. "It's time to go home."

It didn't felt right to be separated from her again. But this time, it was a must. Colin sighed again, silently agreeing as he turned back to the door. Sofia was still there inside, so he should at least say goodbye to her too…

"Hey, Colin?" he glanced back slightly when his dear old friend called out to him again. Faye sounded she was chocked on her words as she softly said, "Sorry I had to leave back then."

There was a pause. Colin didn't make a move to go back into his apartment. There was so little time left for him in this world, but he needed to tell Faye something when she actually felt guilty for leaving him when he didn't want to.

Slowly closing his eyes, he said the words he always wanted to say to her before she left. "Thank you for having been there, even when nobody else was."

There was no reply from her. And before Colin turned back to look at her, he just heard a flutter of wings taking flight when he saw she was gone. He smiled at this, looking up at the sky from the balcony.

 _Thank you, Faye…_

He finally said a proper goodbye to the bird who taught him to fly.


End file.
